Social Worker - Access to Resource Team - Chelmsford
Social Worker - Access to Resource Service
Chelmsford
Salary from GBP30,000 to GBP35,000 per annum
Fixed Term Contract - 9 months
Full Time - 37 hours a week
The Access to Resource Service has 2 teams, 0-15 ART manages the Independent Fostering Agencies and Residential Providers for children and young people who are looked after; the16 Plus ART manages Supported Lodging and Semi Independent Accommodation providers for young people preparing to leave. The post will also involve working with the Council's Contract Management Service.
As a service we are keen to offer a fixed term 9 month full time post. We are looking for a additional social worker to a busy and dynamic service passionate about providing a child centred practice and suitable accommodation for children and young people. Both teams in the service have posts that offer a great opportunity to be involved in external placements for looked after children & young people.
The ideal candidate will have knowledge, skills and experience of the looked after process and committed to be part of best practice service delivery for children & young people being in well matched, stable and supportive external placements. You will need to ensure that all providers are equally passionate and can demonstrate their provision is offering a child centred practice for children and young people with measureable outcomes.
Job requirements:
- Travel across Essex and outside of Essex for the purposes of assessments and meetings with external providers.
- Make and maintain good working relationships with external partnership working
- Contributing towards the multi-agency working with quadrant teams and external providers which would require visiting agencies, residential homes, supported lodging placements and semi-independent units.
- Linking in with colleagues in the Quadrants through Quadrant visits, attending meeting to discuss referral requests.
- Ensure that all providers are equally passionate and can demonstrate their provision is offering a child centred practice for children and young people with measureable outcomes.
These posts require good communication skills and able to undertake assessments of potential external providers, manage a case load of providers, undertake quality assurance reporting, supervision of providers, undertake Standards of Care Investigation as and when required.
Knowledge, skills and experience
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Diploma or Degree in Social Work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent
- Registration with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) as Registered Social Worker
- Demonstrable capability of practice in accordance with current professional standards e.g. Professional Capability Framework (PCF), Knowledge & Skills Statement (KSS)
- Case recording
- Demonstrate ability in the application of SW knowledge, using emotional intelligence, analytical skills and act with confidence in challenging social and family situations.
- A good working knowledge and ability to use information technology and related systems e.g. Word, SW case recording systems
- Required to be mobile throughout a wide operational area including travelling around the County of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.
- Required to work flexibly as required, including evenings and weekends if necessary.
The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wide operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.
As part of employment with Essex County Council should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please visit:
Essex County Council is proud to offer an excellent benefits package to all of its employees, including:
- A local government pension scheme (LGPS), a career average scheme with employee and employer contributions
- Annual leave entitlement of up to 29 days per year (depending upon grade and length of service)
- Purchase of additional annual leave (up to agreed limits)
- Flexible working arrangements (for most roles but depending upon service requirements)
- Discounted shopping through a dedicated Reward Portal (including discounts at major supermarkets)
- Training and development and payment of professional fees (approved professions only)
- Relocation package (up to GBP8,000) where agreed
- Employee assistance programme provided in-house (wellbeing and counselling provision)
- Childcare vouchers, through salary sacrifice
Please note ECC regularly reviews its reward and benefits
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity is key to our success.
If you have any queries regarding this role, or require anything further, please contact the Essex Recruitment Team on *.
*Calls to this number will cost 7 pence per minute plus your telephone company's access charge